"At a time when consumers are expressing an unprecedented interest in decisions related to their health, our call for citizen involvement is especially fitting. To make Healthy People 2010 a success, we need to hear the ideas and the concerns of the American people," according to the Secretary.

"The Healthy People initiative has defined the Nation's health agenda for the last two decades," Shalala added. "It identifies the most significant opportunities to improve health and focuses public and private sector efforts on those areas."

Healthy People objectives are based on the best scientific knowledge and are used for decisionmaking and for action. By identifying opportunities to improve the health of all Americans, Healthy People helps drive action toward common health improvement goals.

Healthy People 2010 proposes two overarching goals: to increase quality and years of healthy life and to eliminate health disparities. The draft objectives are organized by four sections: promote healthy behaviors; promote healthy and safe communities; improve systems for personal and public health; and prevent and reduce diseases and disorders. The sections are further organized into 26 focus area chapters.

Public comment on the goals, focus areas, and draft objectives will be accepted until 5 p.m. on December 15, 1998. A Healthy People 2010 web site enables the public to view and comment on the document electronically at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople. Written comments may be sent to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), Attention: Healthy People 2010 Objectives, Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg., Room 738G, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201. A disk will facilitate posting of paper comments to the web site.

In a cover letter accompanying the Healthy People 2010 objectives, Surgeon General David Satcher said, "Thousands of people contributed to the process of putting together these draft objectives. The subjects addressed embody the commitment of many dedicated people working in health care services, public health, community settings, schools, and worksites—and average American health care consumers. Many thousands more will put these objectives into practice in the coming decade. For these reasons, it is important for this draft to receive careful and critical review."

Because the objectives will help mobilize energy and resources to make measurable health improvements by 2010, the public comment phase is crucial. "I would urge the public to let your voice be heard this fall and participate in drafting 2010 objectives that will shape the Nation's health agenda and guide national health improvement into the 21st century," said Satcher.

As of press time, three public hearings on the proposed 2010 initiative had been held-in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Chicago—and three more scheduled—in Washington, DC, November 13; Seattle, December 2-3; and Sacramento, December 9-10. The Washington, DC, hearing will be held as part of the annual Healthy People Consortium meeting. The Consortium is an alliance of more than 370 national membership organizations and 271 State and territorial public health, mental health, substance abuse, and environmental agencies.

For more information on these meetings, go to http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.

Print copies of the Healthy People 2010 objectives may be ordered by calling the ODPHP fax-back system at (301) 468-3028. For further information about Healthy People, the Healthy People Consortium, or the public hearings, please visit the web site or call (800) 367-4725.

The origin of Healthy People is the 1979 Surgeon General's report on health promotion and disease prevention—also titled Healthy People. The foreword to that report states boldly that its purpose is to "encourage a second public health revolution in the history of the United States..." and it urges that the Nation's health strategy "be dramatically recast to emphasize the prevention of disease." Healthy People 2010 continues the tradition of encouraging public participation in establishing national health goals. Healthy People is a framework for monitoring our progress and motivates action to improve the Nation's health.

Healthy People 2000, which was released in 1990, is a comprehensive agenda with 319 objectives organized into 22 priority areas. The overarching goals are to increase years of healthy life, reduce disparities in health among different population groups, and achieve access to preventive health services. Healthy People 2000 was built on comments from more than 10,000 individuals and organizations. Ongoing involvement is ensured through the Healthy People Consortium.